1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a network system in which setting of a second device on a network can be made identical to the setting of a first device on the network.
2. Related Art
Generally, a plurality of devices are connected to a network, and each device has its own setting items. Conventionally, network management software for managing such setting items has been known. An example of such software is disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2000-194628 (hereinafter, referred to as '628 publication). According to '628 publication, if there are some setting items which have not yet set in a device, a computer on which the network management software runs sets the setting items based on the setting items, which have been set, of another device.
According to '628 publication, however, the computer implemented with the network management software is capable of managing only registered devices. In order to manage a new device, an IP address of the new device should be registered in advance. When a user is to use a device outside an office/home, he/she may wish to use the device as a device he/she uses at the office/home. However, it may be generally difficult to obtain the IP address of the device outside the office/home beforehand. Therefore, the device outside the office/home may not be registered in advance, and the user cannot use the device with his/her usual settings.